Two Stories Tall
by Hamartithia
Summary: Lailah does a little reminiscing in Lohgrin. Rose seeks her out.


Notes: Spoilers for Lohgrin, after you've collected all the earthen historia. Written for femslashficlets comm on Dreamwidth, challenge #039, question.

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Rose found her first. Lailah wasn't trying to hide. The tower was the most obvious landmark in the town. It loomed over the main gates like the belltower in Lastonbell, except it ended a quarter of the way up, as if a hot knife had sheared the top clean off, and the belltower continued upward like a decorative ornament. She'd liked Lohgrin more when it was whole, and the yard had walls that stretched even higher, with infinite staircases that led to infinite rooms and all the people had long legs and thick calves. She remembered Michael's footfalls in particular, a dull cascade along the chipped steps, faltering; there was a drought, and his last pouch of gald had been lost to the thief at the front gate. The guards charged for water. There were more people back then.

It was quiet now, except for the bees and the evening winds whistling over the tower's peak. The monolith at the end of the path cast a long shadow across the blooming courtyard, and stopped just short of her feet. She'd thought there had been less lupine before.

"I know you like to be alone, but sometimes I wish you wouldn't hide yourself away like this."

Lailah kept herself from looking up, but allowed a startled smile at her lap. The making of a paper critter looked back. "You knew exactly where to find me, so clearly I wasn't trying very hard."

"No, I just know you. And maybe I wanted to talk with you. Y'know. Without you in my head." Rose dropped down on the edge of the bench beside her, as if uncertain if she wanted to sit or stand. Her eyes wandered across the open yard without flinching at the source of everyone's dismay. "Though," she added, "I bet this place holds more memories for you than the rest of us."

"Not in particular. I've been here many times before, that's true - but I can't say it stands out to me anymore than it would for anyone else." Not completely true - Lailah still remembered when it had been a capital of its own, and the sands didn't blow so far south, and the people here didn't sleep in tents, but the dozens of rooms that made up the tallest floors of the tower. Michael and her on the seventh. That was an easy view, and the light was good for reading.

"Wait - but I thought you and the storytellers were longtime friends?"

"There's only one storyteller."

"Well, the whole line of them, then!"

Lailah giggled, and then tore a clean line from another card to make it square. "I knew what you meant. And yes, you're right. It's amusing how different they all are! You would expect that with reincarnation, the same soul would always have the same interests. A Mayvin from many years ago had a love for song and dance for example, and a Mayvin before that had a deep abiding love for the sea - they loved the cliff faces in the south; warm waters, you know."

"And presently?"

"Hmm. The Mayvin of this century is perhaps one of the few I've met who's interests so perfectly aligned with that of their duty."

Rose sighed, resigned. "And to me, that's... just awful. Being born into the same role over and over again. Was it also a big lord that thought that was a good idea? I don't think I like them much."

Lailah folded the paper vertically with pinched fingers. It protested at the crease, and she smoothed it with the side of her thumb nail. "Really? I think it's better this way. It's not always the same person suffering. Here - hold this."

Rose shuffled closer and picked up the paper flower from her outstretched hand, turning it over and smiling at the perfectly shaped petals. It had taken her a while to realize that Lailah crafted them from the thick cards she used in her artes.

"I remember when I first met Mayvin. I didn't see much of him when I was a little girl because we traveled so much then, but he always had stories to share when he visited." Rose pressed back against the bench, twirling the flower. "He used to tell stories of a caravan he traveled with in the Plitzerback - said they'd found treasures but he'd found riches long before then? He was truly about as pure hearted as Sorey."

Lailah pressed the heels of her hands together. "They're not all like that. You'd have liked the Mayvin from - oh jeez - five centuries ago? She was so bright. She liked to travel and loved to tell clever stories. She lived life by the ends of her tailcoat. They all do in some way, of course - but you two would have gotten along better than most."

"I got along with this Mayin, well enough," Rose protested. She dropped her free hand between them, fingers half curled. "We get along pretty well, too."

"Y-you get along well with everyone, Rose. That's an impressive skill."

"Well, I'm easy going, but. We're different than that, right?" Lailah looked hard at her face, then slipped her fingers easily over her own. Rose's hands were small.

"Yes, we are. Different than that. Better than that. Maybe. We're definitely something!"

Rose grinned lopsidedly at her, head resting against the wall, then shook the paper flower gently. "Did you make this for Mayvin? It's a little out of character, don't you think?"

"Aw - that one's for you. I'm going to make another. And then as soon as Sorey feels up to it..." she trailed off. It wouldn't be long now. He'd proven to them that he would make the choices required of him. Mayvin made sure of it. And Sorey's biggest pillar of strength in the days to come would be the one beside her.

"Right. I'll check on him." Rose ran a hasty thumb over her knuckle. "And uh - thanks."

"For what?"

She shrugged. "Y'know. _Something._ "


End file.
